College Football 2013 Top 25 Preview: No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide

2012 Recap: College football’s most dominant team. Alabama played three games against teams equipped to compete with them. They edged wins against LSU and Georgia. They lost to Texas A&M. Blemished BCS Titles are, nonetheless, BCS titles. Nick Saban won his third in four seasons.

Offense: The Tide should maul teams. A.J. McCarron returns for his senior season, after leading the nation in passer rating. They have perhaps the best running back in the country, T.J. Yeldon, and six underclassmen who were highly touted recruits behind him. They return their top three receivers from last year, including Amari Cooper who should be an All-American candidate as sophomore. They lose a former Outland trophy winner on the line and two high first-round draft picks. But most would try their luck with one of the nation’s best left tackles, a third-year starting senior at guard and a gaggle of Alabama recruits.

Defense: Saban gets the benefit of any doubt. They lose three defensive linemen, but can fill out two three-man lines of guys who aren’t freshmen. They return five of their top six linebackers, and have recruits waiting behind them. C.J. Mosley deciding to come back for his senior year is huge. They have arguably the best group of safeties in the country. Their vulnerability is at corner. If you’re trying to move the ball against them, it’s probably deep down the sidelines.

Schedule: About as easy as it gets in the SEC West. Virginia Tech is their toughest non-conference opponent. They do not play Florida, Georgia or South Carolina from the East. They play two games where they aren’t three-score favorites: at Texas A&M and LSU at home. Win those two and they go the SEC title game. Split those two and they still have a reasonable chance.